1  &P,7/Wf 

)n  '  ' 

Hawaii  Agricultural  Experiment  Station, 

HONOLULU. 

J.  G.  SMITH,  Special  Agent 


PRESS  BULLETIN  No. 

—              $  S? :  •  r*  1 

FULLER'S    ROSE    BEETI$£»hqv  !*»:••  J 

{Aramigus  fulleri  Horn.)       \^5>   ,  /       $ 


By  D.  L.  Van  Dine; 

Entomologist,  Hawaii  Experiment  Station,  United  ~(5X.QA£&*'t 
Department  of  Agriculture. 


Fuller's  rose  beetle  is  the  common  name  of  an  injurious 
beetle  known  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands  as  the  "Maui"  or  "Olinda 
beetle."  It  is  referred  to  on  the  Island  of  Maui  as  the  "Olinda 
bug"  and  in  one  district  on  the  Island  of  Hawaii  as  the  "wire- 
fence  bug"  because  of  its  occurrence  on  the  strands  of  wire  in 
immense  numbers.  The  insects  had  collected  on  the  fence  from 
the  neighboring  guava,  Hilo  grass  and  "oi"  and  were  using  the 
wires,  the  writer  infers,  as  an  easy  means  of  migration  since 
they  are  incapable  of  flight.  The  insect  was  first  described  by 
Dr.  Geo.  H.  Horn  in  1876  under  the  name  Aramigus  fulleri 
from  specimens  referred  to  him  by  Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller.  The  spec- 
imens were  from  Montana  and  Dr.  Horn  records  the  species 
as  occurring  from  New  Jersey  to  Montana  at  that  time.1 

Mr.  F.  H.  Chittenden  describes  the  adult  beetle  as  follows : 
It  measures  from  a  quarter  to  nearly  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in 
length,  and  is  of  the  form  shown  in  figure  at  c  and  d.  (See  figure  1.) 
The  snout  is  quite  short  and  scarred  at  the  sides  of  the  mandibles 
(jaws).  The  head  is  white,  and  the  abdomen  is  ovoid.  The  color  is 
dark  dirty  brown,  and  the  entire  body,  including  the  legs,  is  lightly  cov- 
ered with  gray  or  pale-brown  scales.  On  each  side  of  the  elytra  (wing 
covers)  there  is  a  whitish  diagonal  line. 2 

In  the  figure  are  shown,  besides  the  views  of  the  adult,  the 


lThe  Rhynchophora   of  America  North  of  Mexico.     Pro.  Am.   Phil. 
Soc.  Vol.  XV.     1876,  pp.  94,  95. 

2Bulletin  27    (n.  s.),  Bureau  (of  Entomju^^^^ft^^&tales  Depart- 
ment  of  Agriculture,  1901.  r     Pvv'i'MfNT^ rffrri  i 


appearance  of  the  eggs  at  c,  the  larva  or  young  at  a  and  the  pupa 

at  b. 

x 


LIFE  HISTORY. 


Dr.  C.  V.  Riley  in  his  report  as  entomologist  of  the  United 

States  Department  of  Agriculture  for  1878  says  in  regard  to 

*  •.       the  life-cycle  of  this  beetle: 

t  **,*.  The  parent  beetles,  like  most  other  snout-beetles,  live  for  a  consid- 
erable  time,  as  I  have  kept  them  in  confinement  for  nearly 
three  months.  They  are  nocturnal  in  habit,  being  quite  active  and  feed- 
ing only  after  dusk.  They  shun  the  light  during  day-time  and  hide 
under  the  leaves  or  cling  tightly  to  the  branches  or  in  some  fork  near 
the  base  of  the  plant,  always  in  such  position  as  not  easily  to  be  ob- 
served. They  drop  to  the  ground,  draw  up  their  legs,  and  "play  'pos- 
sum," remaining  motionless  for  some  time  and  looking  very  much  like 
a  small  lump  of  dry  earth,  the  color  adding  greatly  to  the  resemblance. 
This  habit  of  simulating  death  upon  disturbance  is  common  to  many 
other  insects  of  this  family.  They  feed  upon  the  leaves,  but  do  more 
injury  by  severing  them  than  by  the  amount  of  foliage  consumed. 

The  eggs  are  laid  in  flattened  batches  consisting  of  several  contigu- 
ous rows  and  each  batch  containing  from  10  to  60.  The  individual  egg 
is  smooth,  yellow,  ovoid,  and  about  1  mm.  in  length.  The  female  shows 
a  confirmed  habit  of  secreting  her  eggs,  which  are  thrust  between  the 
loose  bark  and  the  stem,  especially  at  the  base  just  above  the  ground. 
In  the  20-odd  batches  which  I  have  examined  they  have  invariably 
been  thrust  either  between  the  loose  bark  as  above  described,  or  into 
any  other  crevice  that  could  be  found;  as,  for  instance,  that  formed  by 
some  loose  paper  around  the  edge  of  the  bell-glass  in  which  some  of 
my  experiments  were  made.  More  rarely  they  are  laid  between  the 
earth  and  the  main  stem  just  at  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  eggs 
are  so  firmly  glued  together  and  to  the  place  of  deposit  that  they  are 
not  easily  seen  and  are  with  extreme  difficulty  detached. 

These  eggs  require  about  a  month  to  hatch,  and  the  new-born  larva, 
which  is  of  a  pale  yellowish  color,  with  light  brown  mouth-parts,  is 
quite  active,  and  immediately  burrows  into  the  ground,  and  acquires 
very  soon  after  a  bluish  hue.  Just  how  long  this  larva  requires  to 
attain  full  growth  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain,  but,  in  all  proba- 
bility, it  remains  at  least  one  month,  and  probably  several  more,  in  the 
ground,  where  the  pupa  state  is  finally  assumed. 3 

Prof.  Koebele  in  his  "Notes  on  the  Insects  Affecting  the  Koa 


3Report  of  the  Entomologist,  Annual  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of 
Agriculture  for  the  year  1878,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Washington,  1879. 


If  3 

Trees  at  Haiku  Forest  on  Maui"  says  in  regard  to  the  life- 
cycle  : 

We  have  found  its  larvae  under  stones  at  Olinda,  four  years  since, 
and  collected  large  numbers  of  the  same  in  all  stages  on  this  trip,  feed- 
ing on  the  roots  of  Hilo  grass.  We  have  obtained  its  eggs  in  confine- 
ment, deposited  in  clusters  of  some  seventy-five,  of  a  light  yellow  color 
from  three-fourths  to  one  mm.  long  and  half  as  wide.  At  the  office  we 
find  that  large  numbers  of  young  larvae  issue  from  galls  produced  by 
the  Tortricid  larvae.  Here  the  eggs  are  inserted  anywhere  conveniently 
where  a  hole  is  present,  and  are  imbedded  in  irregular  masses,  partly 
covered  by  excremental  remains.  We  should  think  that  they  are  also 
found  under  the  bark  of  trees  where  the  beetles  feed.4 

OCCURRENCE  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

Mr.  Chittenden  in  his  article  ahove  referred  to  says  that — 
Prior  to  the  year  1874  this  species  does  not  appear  to  have  been  rec- 
ognized; in  short,  its  technical  description  was  not  published  until  the 
Centennial  year.  At  about  that  time  and  soon  afterwards,  as  well  as 
at  intervals  later,  it  has  attracted  considerable  attention  on  account  of 
its  ravages  on  roses,  camellias,  geraniums,  and  other  ornamental  plants 
in  different  portions  of  the  country,  particularly  in  the  Eastern  States, 
and  more  especially  in  New  Jersey,  New  York,  and  Massachusetts. 
During  the  last  two  years  this  species  has  been  troublesome  to  roses 
and  carnations,  especially  in  portions  of  New  York  and  Wisconsin,  and 
in  lemon  groves  in  California  as  well  as  in  Hawaii. 

This  insect  is  destructive  in  both  of  its  active  stages,  doing  most 
damage  as  a  larva,  when  it  lives  in  the  soil  and  feeds  upon  the  roots 
of  its  food  plants,  the  beetle  practically  confining  itself  to  the  foliage, 
flowers,  and  buds  of  the  plants  which  it  attacks.  Although  preemi- 
nently a  greenhouse  pest  in  California,  particularly  in  the  southern 
portion,  groves  of  orange  and  lemon  as  well  as  other  trees  sometimes 
suffer  much  injury. 

Recently  the  beetle  has  been  recorded  as  seriously  injuring 
strawberries  in  the  field  in  Southern  California.  Mr.  Fdk. 
Maskew  of  Long  Beach,  Cal.,  in  notes  on  the  insect  during  the 
season  of  1904,5  records  it  as  injurious  to  strawberries,  black- 
berries and  logan  berries,  as  well  as  various  ornamental  plants 
and  apples.     The  injury  was  accomplished  by  the  larvae  feeding 


iReport  of  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture  and  Forestry,  Territory 
of  Hawaii,  for  the  year  ending  December  31.  1900,  Honolulu,  1901. 
pp  63,  64. 

^Bulletin  54,  Bureau  of  Entomology  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 
1905,  pp.  70,  71. 


beneath  the  surface  of  the  soil,  with  the  exception  that  the  foliage 
of  certain  of  the  plants,  and  the  apple  itself,  were  attacked  by 
the  beetle.  The  apples  were  injured  by  the  adult  eating  through 
the  stem,  causing  the  immature  fruit  to  fall.  In  regard  to  the 
life-history  of  the  insect,  Mr.  Maskew  says:  "August  19  a 
beetle  was  observed  in  the  act  of  ovipositing.  The  eggs,  26  in 
number,  were  laid  in  an  irregular  mass  upon  the  upper  surface 
of  the  foliage  of  a  crested  wattle  (Albizzia  lophantlia),  a  potted 
plant.  The  foliage  was  about  5  feet  above  the  ground,  and  above 
the  egg  mass  it  was  drawn  together  and  fastened  by  a  webby 
substance.  These  eggs,  placed  in  a  phial  and  carried  in  the 
pocket,  hatched  August  24.  Many  egg  masses  were  subse- 
quently found  and  hatched  out." 

OCCURRENCE   IN  HAWAII. 

Fuller's  rose  beetle  is  first  recorded  from  the  Islands  by  Prof. 
A.  Koebele,  who  mentions  the  insect  as  an  undetermined  spe- 
cies in  his  report  to  the  Provisional  Government  of  the  Hawaii- 
an Islands  in  1894.     He  writes : 

On  the  Island  of  Maui  a  snout-beetle,  Otiorhynchid,  is  eating  the 
leaves  of  many  plants,  shrubs  and  trees.  I  would  recommend  to  spray 
the  affected  plants  with  Paris  green,  in  the  proportion  of  one  pound  of 
this  to  about  two  hundred  gallons  of  water.  A  little  soap  added  to  the 
solution  will  keep  the  poison  on  the  foliage  a  much  longer  time. 6 

Mr.  It.  C.  L.  Perkins  describes  the  beetle  as  a  new  species  in 
Fauna  Hawaiiensis  under  the  name  Pantomorus  olindae.1  Mr. 
Perkins  says  in  regard  to  its  distribution :  "This  species  is  found 
in  Honolulu,  and  is  sometimes  very  abundant  at  Makawao  and 
Olinda,  Maui,  and  is  found  as  high  up  as  5,000  ft.  on  Halea- 
kala." 

Concerning  its  occurrence  in  Hawaii,  Mr.  Chittenden  has  the 

following : 

During  February,  1901,  we  received  specimens  of  this  species  from 
Mr.  Albert  Koebele,  at  present  stationed  at  Honolulu,  H.  I.,  with  notes 


6Report    of  Entomologist,  Biennial  Rep.    of  the    Minister   of  the  Int., 
Prov.  Govt,  of  the  Haw.  Isl.  1894,  p.  101. 

7Fauna  Hawaiiensis,  Vol.  II,  Part  III,  1900,  pp.  130,  131. 


upon  its  habits.  These  specimens  have  been  compared  with  authenti- 
cally determined  Aramigus  fulleri  by  the  writer,  as  well  as  by  Mr. 
Schwarz  and  Mr.  Charles  Fuchs,  and  there  is  no  doubt  of  their  iden- 
tity. It  seems  that  the  species  is  known  in  Hawaii  as  the  Olinda  bug, 
and  has  been  described  by  Mr.  R.  C.  L.  Perkins  as  Pandamorus  olindae. 
Some  notes  are  furnished  by  Mr.  Koebele,  which  bear  upon  the  insect's 
life  economy.  Its  presence  has  been  frequently  noticed  upon  trees  as 
well  as  upon  Hilo  grass.  Many  trees  of  Java  plum  recently  planted 
have  been  seen  by  Mr.  Koebele  with  every  leaf  eaten  off,  and  some  have 
died  from  the  effects  of  the  beetle  and  Hilo  grass  combined.  The  insect 
appears  to  be  most  numerous  along  the  border  of  forests,  and  is  found 
from  the  seashore  as  high  up  as  5,000  feet  elevation.  Seven  years  prior 
to  the  date  of  writing  the  beetle  was  seen  from  Paia,  where  it  was  de- 
structive to  roses  and  garden  plants  generally.  Our  correspondent  be- 
lieves that  it  must  have  been  present  on  the  Islands  long  before  it  be- 
came prominent  as  a  pest,  and  he  as  well  as  Mr.  Schwarz,  the  writer, 
and  some  others  are  inclined  to  the  belief  that  it  is  an  introduction 
from  Mexico — Mr.  Koebele  believes  probably  from  Acapulco,  but  does 
not  state  reasons. 

Larvae  have  been  found  under  stones,  and  in  large  numbers,  also,  in 
galls  produced  by  Tortricidae. 

In  a  list  of  the  injurious  and  beneficial  insects  of  the  Ha- 
waiian Islands,  Mr.  Perkins  records  the  beetle  with  the  follow- 
ing note : 

Introduced  within  the  last  twenty  years  probably,  since  it  was  not 
obtained  by  Mr.  Blackburn,  who  collected  at  Olinda.  It  is  well  known 
on  Maui  as  the  Olinda  bug  and  in  the  United  States  as  "Fuller's  rose- 
beetle."  It  is  injurious  to  the  koa  and  other  trees  and  plants  on  Maui. 
It  has  of  late  years  been  carried  to  Hawaii,  where  in  certain  localities 
it  rivals  the  Japanese  beetle  in  consumption  of  foliage.  It  has  no  nat- 
ural enemies  in  this  country.8 

The  writer  in  his  report  for  1904  records  this  beetle  as  an 
injurious  species  affecting  corn  on  the  Island  of  Maui  and  irish 
potatoes  and  sugar  cane  on  the  Island  of  Hawaii,  and  as  a 
serious  pest  of  horticultural  plants  generally.9 

STATION  RECORDS. 

During  July,  1902,  this  beetle  was  collected  by  the  writer  at 
Makawao,  Island  of  Maui,  from  newly  planted  forest  trees.     It 


SReport  of  the  Governor  of  the  Territory  of  Hawaii,  1902,  p.  32. 

'Annual  Report  of  the  Hawaii  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  1904, 
Annual  Report  of  the  Office  of  Experiment  Stations,  United  States  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  Washington,  1905,  pp.  375  and  377. 


had  entirely  denuded  imported  beech,  birch,  ash  and  maple 
trees  of  their  foliage  and  these  trees  subsequently  died. 

In  August,  1903,  the  beetle  was  received  from  Kamuela  (Wai- 
mea),  Island  of  Hawaii,  and  reported  as  extremely  injurious 
to  red-gum,  blue-gum,  Java  plum,  Acacias  and  Ohia. 

On  August  27,  1903,  specimens  were  received  from  Maka- 
wao,  Maui,  and  reported  as  feeding  upon  trees  and  shrubs  in 
dooryards  and  corn  in  the  field. 

In  November  of  the  same  year  the  writer  observed  the  spe- 
cies in  the  Kohala  District,  Island  of  Hawaii,  feeding  upon 
Ohia  in  the  Kohala  forest  and  upon  irish  potatoes,  Alligator 
pear  (Persia  gratissima),  iron-wood  (Gasurina  sp.),  Monterey 
cypress  and  blue-gum  in  the  Kohala  homestead  lands. 

During  December,  1903,  it  was  observed  by  the  writer  in  the 
Hamakua  District,  Island  of  Hawaii,  at  Kukuihaele  and  Ho- 
nokaa  on  sugar  cane  and  was  very  abundant,  likewise,  on  the 
uoi"  (Verbena  sp.)  and  guava  bordering  the  cane  fields,  from 
which  plants  it-  undoubtedly  invaded  the  fields. 

This  last  year  the  beetle  has  been  received  from  Puuwaawaa, 
Kona,  Island  of  Hawaii,  where  it  was  injuring  Citrus  trees, 
and  from  Pohakea,  District  of  Hamakua,  where  it  was  noticed 
for  the  first  time.  The  specimens  in  the  latter  place  were  col- 
lected from  guava.  It  has  also  been  reported  from  Pahala,  Kau, 
and  Tantalus,  Island  of  Oahu. 

NATURAL  ENEMIES. 

Prof.  J.  H.  Comstock  in  his  report  as  Entomologist  of  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  for  1879  says:  "A 
wire-worm  or  click-beetle  larva  was  found  preying  upon  the 
larvae  of  this  beetle  in  our  breeding  cages.  We  did  not  succeed 
in  rearing  the  larva  to  the  perfect  state,  but  believe  it  to  be  the 
larva  of  Drasterius  amabilis  Lee."10 

Mr.  Chittenden  says  under  this  head: 

Toads  are  frequently  found  in  greenhouses,  and  sometimes  are  pur- 


lOReport  of  the  Commissioner  of  Agriculture,  U.   S.   Department  of 
Agriculture,  for  the  year  1879,  Washington,  1880,  p.  251. 


posely  put  in  such  places  to  prey  upon  destructive  insects.  They  are 
known  to  feed  upon  insects  related  to  this  rose  beetle,  and  probably 
feed  upon  the  species  in  question. 

Prof.  Koebele  in  his  report  on  Koa  insects  above  referred  to 


The  indigenous  Carabid  beetles  on  higher  elevations  must  destroy 
many  of  the  larvae. 

Insectivorous  birds  evidently  feed  largely  upon  the  beetles.  We 
found  excrements  of  the  mynah  bird  consisting  entirely  of  the  remains 
of  these  beetles.  Quails  are  considered  as  excellent  birds  to  destroy 
such  insects.  Fowls  should  keep  the  surroundings  of  houses  free  of 
them.  Probably  some  90  per  cent,  of  the  food  of  the  mongoose  consists 
of  insects,  roaches,  crickets,  grasshoppers  and  centipedes,  and,  from  ex- 
amination made,  he  also  feeds  upon  the  "Olinda  bug." 

REMEDIES. 

Since'the  larvse  in  feeding  on  the  roots  of  the  plants  beneath 
the  surface  of  the  soil,  are  equally  and  sometimes  more  destruct- 
ive than  the  beetles  in  feeding  on  the  foliage,  the  soil  about 
infested  plants  should  be  treated  with  carbon  bisulphide.  The 
fumes  of  this  substance  are  very  penetrating  and  very  poison- 
ous. It  is,  likewise,  very  explosive  and  no  fire  of  any  sort,  such 
as  a  lighted  cigar,  for  example,  should  be  allowed  in  the  vicin- 
ity while  using  it.  The  soil  is  treated  by  first  making  several 
holes  about  the  plant  in  the  loose  soil  with  a  sharp  round  stick 
(a  sharpened  broom-handle  will  do  nicely)  and  then  pouring 
into  each  hole  about  one-half  ounce  of  the  carbon  bisulphide  and 
stopping  the  hole  immediately  with  some  earth,  packing  it  down 
firmly  with  the  foot.  Fortunately  the  adult  beetle  has  not  the 
power  of  flight.  For  this  reason,  trees  and  ornamental  plants 
can  be  protected  by  first  picking  the  beetles  from  the  plants  and 
dropping  them  into  a  bucket  of  water  having  coal-oil  on  the 
surface,  or  by  jarring  the  beetles  from  the  plants,  and  then 
wrapping  the  stem  or  trunk  with  cotton  bands  over  which  it  will 
be  difficult  for  the  insects  to  crawl.  In  greenhouses,  where  the 
greatest  injury  is  done  by  this  beetle  on  the  Mainland,  the  insect 
is  controlled  by  picking  the  adults  from  the  plants,  or  treating 
the  roots  of  infested  plants  with  carbon  bisulphide,  applied  by 
means  of  a  metal  syringe,  and  "the  use  of  tobacco  waste  in  lib- 


Hi,!VJL18.,1 1PF  FLORIDA 


3  1262  08929  1156 


eral  quantities  about  the  roots  of  the  plants  is  advisable,  as  it 
acts  both  as  an  insecticide  and  a  fertilizer." 

For  this  and  other  leaf -feeding  insects  the  writer  has  been 
recommending  spraying  the  foliage  with  Arsenate  of  Lead. 
The  advantages  of  this  poison  over  Paris  green  are  that  it  can 
be  used  in  liberal  quantities  without  damaging  the  foliage; 
that  it  is  white  in  color  and  thus  is  easily  seen,  making  even 
spraying  possible ;  and  that  it  is  quite  adhesive,  not  being  easily 
washed  away  by  the  frequent  rains.  Full  directions  for  making 
and  applying  this  insecticide  are  given  in  Bulletin  "No.  3  of  this 
Station.  Those  who  do  not  care  to  prepare  the  home-made  mix- 
ture can  obtain  an  Arsenate  of  Lead  in  paste  form  ready  for 
immediate  use,  on  the  market  in  Honolulu.  This  manufactured 
product  has  been  tested  and  found  entirely  satisfactory. 


Fig.  1. — Fuller's  rose  beetle,  Aramigus  fulleri : — a,  larva;  b,  pupa; 
c,  outline  of  side  view  of  adult;  d,  same,  upper  or  dorsal  view,  the  small 
outline  between  showing  natural  size;  e,  eggs,  enlarged  and  natural  size; 
f,  g  and  h,  views  of  head  of  larvae,  enlarged,     (from  Riley.) 


Honolulu,  T.  H.,  October  Id,  1905. 


PARADISE    OF    THE    PACIFIC    PRINT,     WAVERLEY    BLOCK 


